Excavating machine



y 1933. G. M. TURNHAM EXCAVATING MACHINE FiledNov. 26, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 2, 1933. G. M. TURNHAM EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llll t I72 flan $02" 550/? s: Mmmmiv ERA/1mm.

May 21933. G. M. TURNHAM EXCAVATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 2, 1933 GEORGE MERRIMAN TURNEAM, F MAPLE PLAIN, MINNESOTA EXOAVATING MACHINE Application filed November 26, 1930. Serial No. 498,332.

This invention relates to an excavating machine of the typeadapted to be continuously operated to dig or excavate material from the earth and convey the removed material to a predetermined location at a distance from the digging or excavating location, and the broad object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character as stated, in which will be incorporated novel and im- 0 proved features andcharacteristics of construction adapted to render the present ma chine an improvement generally over machines for the same purpose heretofore known.

More specifically, the invention has for an object'to provide a machine equipped with a power operated shovel, bucket, or scoop of novel and improved construction and adapted to function in unique and efficient manner.

A further specific object is to provide the machine with novel and improved means for operating said shovel, bucket, or scoop.

With the above objects in view, as well as others which will appear as the specification proceeds, the invention comprises the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as now to be fully described and as hereinafter to be specifically claimed, it bemerely illustrative and intended in no way in a limiting sense, changes in details of construction and arrangement of parts being permissible so long as within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims which follow.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Fig.1 is an elevational view of an excavating machine'in which the features of the invention are incorporated, parts being sectioned and broken away;

Fig. 2 isa plan view of the machine of Fig. 1, one of the conveyor devices being shown in dotted lines; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the machine taken on line 3-3 in Fig. l.

With respect to the drawings and the numerals of reference thereon, represents, generally, a tractor including an internal combustion engine 11. The engine 11 inmg understoodthat the disclosure herein is frame 2a. The conveyor and elevator belt 25-? eludes reducing driving connections and a driven shaft 12 suitably geared to the tractor, as at 13, to drive it.

The frame of the tractor includes a turntable 14 which supports a rotatable frame 15 including spaced apart uprights 16. The

rotatable frame 15 is mounted upon the turntable 1 1 by means of a vertical shaft 17 suitably arranged in the turntable and rotatable frame. i i A bevel gear 18 suitably mounted upon an upper portion of the vertical shaft 17 is adapted to be driven from the engine shaft 12 by means of a bevel gear 19 upon said engine shaft and meshing with said bevel gear 18. A clutch 20 upon said shaft 12' may be manipulated in any suitable manner. The spaced uprights 16 of the rotatable frame 15 include rearward extensions 21 which revolubly support, as at 22, a shaft 23 carrying .QQ the rearward end of a boom or conveyor and elevator frame 2 1 which extends downwardly and forwardly between the spaced uprights 16 and to position at the front of the tractor.

The shaft 23 fixedly supports a roller over l which a conveyor and elevator belt 25 passes, said conveyor and elevator belt also passing over a roller upon a shaft 26 at the forward end of theboom or conveyor and elevator is adapted to be continuously driven in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 by means of a bevel gear 27 engaging the bevel gear 18 and adapted to'be clutched to 'a transverse shaft 28 suitably mounted on the frame l5,a 3 clutch between said bevel gear 27 and shaft 28 being denoted at 29. One end of the shaft 28 carries a sprocket wheel 30, and a sprocket chain 31 rides over said sprocket wheel and over a sprocket wheel 32 fixed upon a shaft 33 also suitably mounted in the frame 15. The shaft 33 fixedly carries a sprocket wheel 34 over whicha sprocketchain 35 passes. The chain 35 also passes over a sprocket wheel '36 fixed upon a shaft 37 mounted in said frame 15'. Said shaft 37 fixedly carries a sprocket wheel 38 over which a sprocket chain 39 passes. 'The sprocket chain '39 rides over a sprocket wheel 40 fixed to the shaft 23. It will be evident that when" the clutch 29 is positioned to connect the bevel gear 27 to the shaft 28, the conveyor and elevator belt 25 will be driven ahead by the internal combustion engine 11.

Mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the boom or conveyor and elevator frame 24 about the shaft 23 as an axis. As disclosed, a sleeve 41 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 33 and fixedly carries pulleys 42 adjacent its opposite ends. A clutch 43, which may be manipulated in any convenient manner, is for the purpose of fastening the sleeve 41 to the shaft 33. Cables 44, one attached to each pulley 42, ride over idler pulleys 45 suitably mounted in upper portions of the spaced uprights 16, andhave their ends which are opposite said pulleys 42 secured to intermediate portions of the boom or conveyor and elevator frame 24, as

designated at 46. The arrangement is such that when the clutch 43 is positioned to fasten the sleeve 41 and its pulleys 42 to the shaft 33, rotation of the shaft 12 will cause the cables 44 to be wound upon the pulleys 42, to thus swing the member 24 upwardly about its axis 23. When the clutch 43 is manipulated to release the sleeve 41 from the shaft 33, the member 24 becomes lowered by gravity. It will of course be evident that frictional or other means can be employed to provide for slower lowering movement of said member 24.

r The tractor frame suitably supports, as at 47, a conveyor frame 48 which extends transversely of the machine and has its inner end arranged adjacent and directly beneath the rearward end of the member 24. As shown, the conveyor frame 48 carries a conveyor belt 49 which is continuously driven in the direction ofthe arrow in Figs. 1 and 2. The conveyor belt 49 is advanced by means of gearing connections, represented generally at 50,conveniently-set in motion from the engine 11.

The machine includes a power operated shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 which is rotatably supported upon the member 24 and is adapted to be swung about its supporting axis both to accomplish the digging or excavating oper- ;ation and to deposit the removed material upon the conveyor and elevator belt 25. As shown, the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 has 7 its upper portion fixed upon the shaft 26,

which shaft is rotatably mountedin the member 24, and the body of said shovel, bucket,

or scoop extends downwardly and somewhat rearwardly of said shaft, about as shown in Fig. 1. when inposition to commence the removal of material from the earth, with the forward, digging or excavatingedge portion 52 of said shovel, bucket, or scoop ex tending generally downwardly and forwardly to forcibly and positively enter material to be removed when the shovel, bucket, or scoop is rotated about its axis 26, to thus dig .chine. The material can be transported up along the conveyor and elevator belt 25 when positioned as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, or the member 24 can be elevated, as by the cables 44, toward or to horizontal position,

as suggested in dotted lines in said Fig. 1, before the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 deposits its' load upon the belt 25, as may in a particular case be desirable.

Mechanism for rotating the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 upon its axis may include a sleeve 53 loosely mounted upon'the shaft 37 and adapted to be fixed thereon by means of a clutch 54 which may be manipulated in any suitable manner. The sleeve 53 fixedly carries spaced apart pulleys 55, and cables 56, two attached to each pulley 55 at diametrically spaced locations thereof, ride, respectively, over idler pulleys 57 upon the shaft "23. The ends of the cables 56 opposite the pulleys 55 are attached at diametrically spaced locations to pulleys 58 fixed upon the shaft 26, there being a pulley 58'upon.

clutch 54 is manipulated to release the sleeve. 7

53, said shovel, bucket, or scoop returns by gravity from its dotted line position-in said Fig. 1 to its full line position therein. The shovel, bucket, or scoop could of course be swung downward positively in any other,

suitable manner. 1

VMechanism is provided for rotating the frame 15 upon the turntable 14, to thus swing the member 24 horizontally about the vertical shaft 17 as an axis, as suggested by the full and dotted line position of said member 24 in Fig. 2, and the frame 15 with the member 24 is adapted to remain in any position to which adjusted about said vertical axis 17. As disclosed, a lower portion of the frame 15 includes a circumferential surface 59 which is concentric with the-axis 17. A continuous cable 60 passes about said circumferential surface, and a part ofsaidcable 60 is attached to said surface 59. Said cable 60also passes over a reel 61 which may be revolved by means of an actuating handle 62-, or in any other suitable manner. An idler pulley 63 isfor the purpose of holding rotatable frame 15 is adapted to roll over the turntable when said frame 15. is swung horizontally. It will be evident that by turning the handle 62, the frame 15, together with the member 24, can be swung transversely of the tractor frame and set at any desired horizontal. relation, as shown in full and in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It is to be observed that the member 24 will in practice be adjusted to any preferred inclination so that the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 can operate upon material at any desired elevation. To accomplish the excavating operation, the machine can be set so that the member 24 is swung to one side, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 for example, and the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 manipulated to dig and remove a load of material. With the remainder of the machine stationary, the handle 62 can be turned an amount to move said member 24 from its dotted line position as in Fig. 2 toward its full line position therein, and when so positioned the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 can be manipulated to dig and remove another load. The member 24 can be repeatedly so moved and caused to dig through the remainder of the arc in which it is swingable, to thus excavate material along a curvilinear space. At the completion of such digging operations, the tractor with excavating machine can be advanced the predetermined and requisite amount, and the operations as described can be repeated. It will thus be seen that the shovel, bucket, or scoop 51 accomplishes its function by moving forwardly into the material to be dug while the member 24 remains stationary, or at a rearward the conveyor frame carried entirely on the main frame, a, separate cable drive for the digger carried on the conveyor frame, and separate releasable clutches connecting the cable lift and cable drive with the continuous conveyor drive.

2. In a mobile excavating machine, a flooring, a power plant disposed adjacent the rear end thereof, an upright main frame disposed adjacent the front end thereof, a rearward extension on the base of the main frame receiving a vertical axis on the flooring which is centrally arranged with respect to the same to permit the main frame-to be swung horizontally, an angular rearward extension on the upper portion of the main frame terminating past the central axis, a conveyor and frame horizontally pivoted in the terminal of the extension and extending forwardly of the machine, a digger on the outer end of the conveyor frame, and means for lifting the conveyor frame and driving. the conveyor and digger carried by the main frame and connected with thlexzapaower plant.

RRIMAN TURNHAM.

GEORGE position of said shovel, bucket, or scoop while i it is digging. The shovel, bucket, or scoop can of course be caused to dig while the excavating machine with the member 24 is being advanced.

The material excavated by the element 51 v is swung or moved upwardly and deposited upon the conveyor and elevator belt 25. The

body of said element '51 can be of any construction and configuration suitable to its purpose, but the upper or inner part of the body of said element 51 desirably travels in close proximity to the conveyor and elevator belt 25 during the swinging movement of said element 51 in order that all of the excavated material'will be deposited upon said belt 25.

What I claim is:

1. In a mobile excavating machine, a power plant, an upright main sup-porting frame, a

conveyor frame horizontally pivoted therein and extending forwardly of the machine, a conveyor in said last mentioned frame, a continuous drive for the conveyor carried by the main frame and connected with the power plant, a pivoted digger on the front end of the conveyor frame, a separate cable lift for 

